JessB and Friends – Double Whammy: November 9, 2025

JessB celebrated the release of her long-awaited debut album, Feels Like Home, with a show at Auckland’s Double Whammy.

JessB, aka Jess Bourke, is a Kenyan-Kiwi hip-hop artist (and former netballer)now living in West Auckland who has been making music since at least 2017. Now signed to Warner NZ, Jess has finally released Feels Like Home, a record that was four years in the making.

While all the old punks were at The Powerstation remembering old times with Buzzcocks and Modern English, JessB and her friends were making new memories with a slightly younger crowd.

The doors at Double Whammy opened at 8pm even though Jess wasn’t expected to take the stage until after 11, so, not surprisingly, there were just a handful of punters in the venue when a un announced young lady took the stage to get the evening underway. Whoever she was, it seems clear she had listen to her parents’ (or grandparents’) Minnie Riperton records. And that’s a good thing.

The room began to fill up and there were plenty on had to enjoy the three other openers…SPDRTWNBBY (pronounced Spider Town Baby), Tusekah and Rubi Du along with DJs Poppa Jax and Fine China.

All three went over well with Rubi Du (backed by Poppa Jax) making the biggest impression with her unique take on dancehall and reggae.

South African-Kiwi Tusekah  and Samoan SPDRTWNBBY both drew from classic soul the later performing her single Pixel Pixie and the former returning later to duet with the headliner.

Unfortunately there was a rather long wait between Rubi Du’s set and JesseB’s…over an hour. And while the DJs did their best to keep the crowd engaged, a half hour would have been more appropriate.

JessB

It was after 11:15pm when JessB finally made an entrance, accompanied by live drums, bass and keys and backing tracks to fill out the sound.

“We are here for a good time and a long time!” she declared after opening with a quick Commando. The extended set…22 songs in 75 minutes was full of tracks from the new album along with plenty of old favourites.

And while Jess is known primarily for her rapping skills, she proved she could sing as well.

“I never claimed to be a singer”, she confessed just before Where Are We Going, but her performance proved otherwise.

Bullseye proved to be a highlight thanks to the drummer’s energetic efforts as Jess encourage us to, “put your hand in the ceiling if you’re feeling the feeling!”

A highlight for the oldies scattered throughout the crowd (myself included) was Come Find Me, which morphed into Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

For Jess, it seemed that Long Time Coming was a favourite. The album closer’s lyrics touch on finding herself and her people and the rap that closed the tune was one of the more powerful moments of the evening.

Well after midnight things began to come to an end…a birthday singalong for Brie, her little sister , a photo op and finally Can’t Fake It, JessB’s 2022 to close out a long, celebratory evening at Double Whammy.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Michael Jeong:

JessB:

Rubi Du:

Tusekah:

SPDRTWNBBY:

 

JessB Setlist:

1. Commando
2. Uh Hah
3. Where Are We Going
4. We That Filth
5. Drop Nuts
6. 09 To The World Freestyle
7. So Low
8. Bump Bump/Candy Shop
9. Mood
10. Time Out
11. Pon It
12. Pogha
13. Bullseye
14. Ring Ring
15. Moment
16. My Luck
17. Talk Of The Town
18. Through 2 Ya
19. Long Time Coming
20. Come Find Me/Sweet Dreams
21. Set It Off
22. Power
23. Can’t Fake It